The true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him no good.

- Ann Landers

Magnifying small sacrifices

How do you treat people who cannot (or choose not to) repay you for the good things that you have done for them? Do you hold a grudge, speak ill of them, or constantly keep score? Think about a homeless man in need of a hot meal, the elderly woman who cannot open the door by herself at the store, or a lost child. Probably none of these individuals could equally compensate you for any sacrifices you make on their behalves. There remains but two choices--help or ignore. Our minds easily jump to putting them out of our minds and going about our days. But imagine the good you could do if you took a small moment of your time or the change out of your pocket. Such a small sacrifice (from your perspective of course), could have a 10-fold positive impact!

There is no difference between living and learning...it is impossible and misleading and harmful to think of them as being separate.

- John Holt, author

Insight into learning

Every season in life is full of learning experiences. One step leads to the next and we can draw on the past and walk confidently through trials as our wisdom grows. Our thoughts eventually turn into our habits, which determine where our lives go. Put your dreams in capable hands--your own. Don't let the "wisdom of the world" become the internal voice that guides you. What has your own life taught you? What experiences have brought you to where you are now? Think about what it takes to overcome the roadblocks in your life. What skills do you need in order to achieve you goals? Take a writing class to jumpstart the book you've always wanted to write. Shadow a friend who knows how to sew, or research a trip to the country you have longed to visit. The common denominator for all successful people is having the right tools to realize their goals.

BLC News: A Guilt-Free Dip

French Onion Dip Just like the real thing minus calories and fat!

Cheryl Forberg, RD, and nutritionist for the show came up with this dip. It takes a little time to simmer the onions, but the result is so worth waiting for.

Cut the onions in half vertically, and then slice them horizontally into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Stir well and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Continue to simmer stirring regularly for about 20 to 30 minutes, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. The onions will be light to medium golden (not dark) browned and caramelized. Cool onions completely.

Place onions in bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until onions are slightly chopped. Remove half of the onions and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Return the remaining onions to the food processor. Add the onion powder and process until completely puréed.

Tip from Cheryl Dipping is a great way to kick up your daily vegetable intake. A colorful array of crisp dippers can include crunchy sticks of Bell pepper, fennel, jicama or celery and baby carrots.

It is the path of least resistance that makes rivers and men crooked.

- B.J. Palmer, father of chiropractic

Struggling to find your voice

In the face of conflict we might be tempted to just go with the flow and not make waves. The path of least resistance is saying "yes" when you want to say "no" and that road is always paved with regrets and mistakes. While compromise is good and a necessary part of healthy relationships, no one should have to fully deny their feelings and remain voiceless while others dominate a situation. It might feel easier to nod your head and passively agree, but in the long run you are being cheated. While there might be a whole list of justifications and excuses for stepping off the path of your principles, staying true to yourself reaps countless more rewards than selling out to appease someone else. Reconcile today the negative passivity you have displayed in the past.

Even if our efforts of attention seem for years to be producing no result, one day a light that is in exact proportion to them will flood the soul

- Simone Weil

What we can learn about patience from a diamond

Trying (but failing) to see your goals realized can be frustrating. Margaret Thatcher once said "You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it," and she was absolutely right. You've got to believe that you will succeed! Never admit defeat as long as time and effort remain. Our greatest asset is patience; our greatest weakness is throwing in the towel. Banish discouragement and feelings of impossibility by working hard, doing more, and not giving in! A diamond was only made beautiful after millions of years as a lump of coal.

1. Eat for Energy Eat regular and consistent meals and snacks day in and day out instead of falling into the mind trap of thinking, I need to lose weight and lose it fast, so I'll just starve myself. Bad idea. What you want is healthy food fuel for your body throughout the day via meals and snacks. Eating like this helps keep your energy and mood up, your metabolism humming, and your appetite at bay—all of which help you to stick to your weight loss program for the long haul.

2. Finding "Just Right" Always eat an appropriate amount of daily calories for your height, weight, age, and exercise level. That means neither too few nor too many calories, but the "just right" amount that allows for a slow, steady weight loss week to week. The Biggest Loser Club experts can help you determine your daily calorie goal that is "just right" for you.

3. Surround Yourself with Support Find the support you need—friends, family, health care providers, coaches, groups, and Biggest Loser Club—to be positive forces for you along your journey of creating a long-term healthy diet and lifestyle that works for you. Take time early on to determine who can and will be on your team and then count on them to do so. And lean on them when you need encouragement.

A Tip From Hannah Curlee You have to make a decision in your life that you want to change and that's when change begins. I never thought I could do that before, but now I have this new life, and I am making healthy choices. I hope everyone understands the power of that.

And then the day came, when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

- Anais Nin, Danish diarist

What leaps of faith are you willing to take?

Trying new things can give you a real zest for life. Pushing beyond your comfort zone in a responsible way helps you grow confidence and creativity that you can apply to your everyday life. Do not let fear control what you do (or don't) do? While taking risks can be scary, doing nothing is a big mistake, as it produces nothing fruitful within you. There is a direct relationship between the things that we achieve and the effort we put forth to obtain them. To reach the fruit, you have to climb the tree first!

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

- Goethe

Cultivating what gives you joy

The easiest way to identify what our heart wants is to examine the feelings that surface when we relate to that subject. Do you find solace when picking up your journal to write a daily reflection? Does time spent with your family thrill you to tears? What feelings arise when you chase down the things that make your heart flutter? True happiness comes when we routinely engage in positive activities that we love. Take a look at your life as a whole. Pursue the things that make you feel alive and fill you with joy and healthy balance.

BLC News: New Trainers, New Tips!

New Trainers, New Tips! What has the cast learned from Brett and Cara?

Cara Castronuova and Brett Hoebel joined The Biggest Loser this season as two new trainers in addition to Bob and Jillian. And with that have come new approaches to weight loss and workouts. We asked some contestants who have trained with Brett and Cara what they've learned so far:

Austin Andrews, Brown Team You don't have to have a lot of equipment to have a really good workout. We've done a lot of boxing workouts where it's been just us with our own two hands and out in the middle of an open field—some of the best workouts we've gotten. You just want to keep moving and keep your heart rate up. If you keep moving, you're going to burn calories.

Sarah Nitta, Pink Team Get your mind in the right place and your body will follow. When Brett said that, things turned around for me. I focus more on the mental aspect of this entire process now. In the beginning, my body truly wasn't strong enough. So I had to make my mind strong and my body has followed. It's been amazing to see how much this process is in our heads, and what our bodies are actually capable of if we believe in that.

Moses Kinikini, Gray Team Cara has made a big difference in my weight loss because she's a world class boxer, and she has taught me how I can do it anywhere. I had injuries with my leg, and I was limited as to what I could do. So I learned to shadow box, sitting down on my bed in my room. Using my core and upper body, I was still able to lose weight!

A Tip From Marci Crozier In the gym, don't worry about the person next to you and what they're doing. Focus on YOU. You have to stay centered within yourself and just do the best that YOU can do.

Sometimes you look at a person and see a cynical snake. Someone else sees a joyful lover. You're both right!

- Rumi, poet

Tending two shops

People can be hard to deal with. Are your co-workers constantly annoying you? Does your neighbor rake his leaves into your yard every fall? Is your child high-maintenance and needy? Often we let our frustrations and anger towards people and situations prevent us from seeing the larger picture. Try looking at the circumstance from the other person's point of view. Your overbearing co-worker might just be trying to emulate you by asking a million questions. Perhaps your neighbor doesn't really know where his property line ends and where yours begins. Your child may need more individual time with you, instead of competing with siblings. No person's personality can be summed up entirely by one negative trait or action. So next time someone cuts you off in traffic or swipes the idyllic apple you were eyeing at the store, remember that everyone is less-than-perfect sometimes. Know your role in people's lives and continue to be positive and mature. After all, we all do things that are worthy of a good tongue lashing sometimes!

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